


Hybrid Vigor

by Skylerius



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Matt Holt, Altean Pidge | Katie Holt, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Coran has a Family, Drama, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I love Coran, Keith (Voltron)-centric, New Planets, Non-Graphic Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pidge | Katie Holt-centric, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22840498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylerius/pseuds/Skylerius
Summary: A complete rework of an old story I started! I decided I still liked the concept, but not the way I went about it, so here we go, a fresh start. An AU where Pidge and Matt are half-Altean (but don't know it), and the story goes completely differently after Season 2 or so because as much as I love VLD I rage quit hard at the last couple of seasons!Will start out gen, but pairings will slowly begin to develop!
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Allura & Coran & Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, Allura/Lance (Voltron), Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Keith & Lotor & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Pidge | Katie Holt
Comments: 18
Kudos: 103





	1. Chapter 1

\---

**Hybrid Vigor:** _noun:_ the tendency of a crossbred individual to show qualities superior to those of both parents. Also known as _heterosis._

\---

"Is everyone alright?"

The air was still thick with lingering tension as the Castle of Lions' small crew recovered from yet another harrying battle against the Galra Empire. This time, they were fortunate, as it hadn't been a whole army after them; just one small fleet, that was lucky (or unlucky) enough to be trying to take over a planet they were visiting to acquire some supplies. Neither the Voltron team nor the Galrans had even made it to the planet's surface, stumbling upon one another just outside the atmosphere, thanks to Allura's wormhole literally dropping the Castle right in the middle of the enemy fleet. What ensued was a firefight that didn't require the assistance of the Lions, the Castle being capable enough to handle the cluster of ships lead by a disgraced commander seeking glory in conquest, the paladins staying in their chairs and operating their color-coded drones. Aside from yet another argument from Keith and Lance as they got in each other's way with their drones, and being fairly shaken up from the Castle being fired upon, everyone was fine.

"I'm okay!" Hunk called out, looking a bit green in the face from the ship's violent shaking that had only just ceased a few moments ago, but to his credit, he didn't throw up. He was getting better about that.

"Okay over here," Keith sighed, slumping down in his chair and rubbing his head, fingers buried in his dark hair. At one point, they had all been jerked so suddenly that he struck his head on the unforgiving metal frame of his seat. They would have to see about adding some more padding to them... and possibly seat belts.

Lance got to his feet and approached Allura, who had been the one to voice her concern over the others. She had somehow managed to stay steady throughout it all, still clutching the hand rests on her pedestal with a white-knuckled grip. She did relax a little as Lance reached her and rested a hand on her arm, asking, "What about you? Are you alright, Princess?"

"I'm alright," Allura reassured him with a tired smile, a thread of her wavy silver hair drifting loose from the bun she had tied it in, falling over her face. She glanced around for those who had yet to answer her question. "Shiro? Pidge? Coran?"

Shiro was already up and checking on Keith, nudging the boy's hand away from his head to check his hair for blood, perhaps worried about a concussion. "I'm fine. Keith, hold still..."

Pidge, meanwhile, had shakily gotten to her feet and was making her way over to Coran. He didn't quite have the same grace and balance as Allura, and had fallen during the last volley of laser shots aimed at the Castle's shields. The older Altean was sitting up, at least, but groaned a bit as he touched one hand to the side of his face. Pidge was quick to drop onto her knees beside him, reaching out to brace a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, Coran? You okay?"

"Oh, I'm alright, Number Five. Just took a good bump on the head like Keith over there. Must have hit it on the control panel when I fell," Coran replied, turning to look at her with one of his usual warm, cheery smiles. A trickle of something dark was visible trailing down his cheek.

"Hey! You're bleeding!" Pidge squawked, automatically snatching one hand out to push his arm away from his face so she could get a look at his injury. He blinked, and his brief moment of surprise seemed to hold him still long enough for Pidge to gently touch his cheekbone, getting a look at the shallow cut surrounded by already-developing bruises. Nothing serious. She let out a breath of relief. "Just a cut. Still, you should get that cleaned up in the infirmary."

"Right-o, Number Five." Coran agreed, his mustache seeming to curve along with the smile that returned to his face. He looked up as the others approached, and accepted Shiro's hand up. "No need to worry about me, I'll be alright! I hope you aren't all too tired to go on this supply run! The kind people of Goyobos are expecting us, and they have a beautiful marketplace that I'm sure Hunk would love to visit with me! We can plan out a menu for the next Deca-Phoeb with all the ingredients they're bound to have!"

Hunk did a little hop, his bout of nausea apparently forgotten. "Alright! I'm in!"

"I'll come, too!" Lance put in, grinning at Hunk's enthusiasm.

"I think it's best I stay here and keep an eye on Keith." Shiro placed his flesh-and-blood hand firmly on Keith's shoulder, glancing the red paladin up and down. "I'm not ruling out the possibility of a concussion just yet."

Keith simply grunted in response, one hand pressed against his head. His eyebrows were scrunched down even more than usual, betraying pain rather than just grumpiness.

"I guess I'll get cleaned up and come with you guys," Pidge decided, since hanging out and staring at Keith with Shiro didn't sound like much fun. She glanced down at her hand, a few smears of Coran's dark-colored blood on her fingertips from when she had checked his injury. She was momentarily fascinated by the color of it, which was very close to the red of human blood, but just a bit darker and tinged slightly violet. It never ceased to amaze her how similar yet different their respective species were.

Coran's smile turned just slightly sheepish, but then he marched off towards the doors so he could swing by the med bay before they all headed out. "Dress warmly! It may be the peak of summer here on Goyobos, but it will be quite chilly for those of us not used to its harsh climate!"

Everyone nodded, then headed off to get ready, except for Shiro and Keith, who went to the common area to rest. Pidge headed for her sleeping quarters, specifically to the bathroom within, so she could hurriedly wash her hands before going to change her clothes. The Alteans, and a fairly enthusiastic Lance, had hauled the whole crew out for clothes shopping some time ago, so they would actually have more than just the outfits they brought from earth. Pidge was far from a fashionista, but it was nice to have some clothes actually made for girls, now that she wasn't masquerading as a boy anymore. Nothing frilly, just some thick grey pants that actually fit her slender legs, and a loose shirt that didn't make her feel like she was outright swimming in fabric. She topped it off with a dark green jacket lined with something akin to fleece, thick socks, and some chunky brown boots with thick soles to give her an extra two inches in height.

She zipped up her jacket, then raked her fingers through her messy tawny hair in a halfhearted attempt to smooth it as she headed out into the hall to meet with the others. It was slowly growing out, though still didn't reach her shoulders, especially since it liked to flip up at the ends. She had been unfortunate enough to get the same weird hair as her brother and mother, who kept hers cut very short for this exact reason. She hadn't the patience to grow it out long enough for it to stop defying gravity.

Those heading out on the town gathered up and exited the Castle together, Hunk already yammering on about recipe ideas with Coran, while Allura scrolled through a list of necessities on the tablet in her hand. The Princess chuckled, her long ears twitching down slightly as the cold Goyobos air washed over them, carrying with it the rich smells of plant life, wood smoke, and alien cuisine. "How about you take the boys shopping for all of the food we'll need, Coran? Pidge and I can handle the rest." She held her tablet closer to her chest, beaming down at the smallest paladin. "It will be nice to spend some time together, don't you think? Just us girls?"

Pidge almost wanted to roll her eyes at that, but... she had to admit, after putting on normal clothes and thinking about her hair, she _was_ sort of in the mood for female company. As long as their errands didn't get derailed into anything involving makeup or the like. "Sure."

Allura happily led the way down a dry dirt road, taking a left while the boy squad took a right. Her knee-length white coat billowed about her in the cold wind, strands of her hair still floating free from her up-do, which she seemed to have forgotten to fix. She skimmed over her shopping list, musing aloud, "We don't need anything for the Castle itself; we're shopping for us today! We need bathroom supplies and some fresh bedding. Hunk was just telling me that the seam on his blanket has torn open again, so I'd say it's time to buy new rather than fix the old."

Following behind, Pidge stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and took in a deep breath of the crisp air. It was cold enough that she would consider it early winter back home, which was fairly refreshing after being in a ship for the past few weeks, with no flow of fresh air. She never would have thought she would come to appreciate the outdoors, but she had been slowly coming around ever since meeting the Olkari a few months ago. Fresh air and the sound of dirt and gravel crunching under her boots was pretty nice.

She let Allura decide their path, following the Princess into the crowded marketplace. Stone buildings rose up on all sides, with smaller wooden shacks and stands squeezed between them, vendors selling everything from fabric, household supplies, animal pelts, incense, and toys and trinkets. The Goyobi people themselves were colorful enough to add life to their practically monochromatic grey world, being some sort of elephant or tapir-like people, except with thick, blubbery fat that gathered in rolls around their necks, and dense fur that shimmered like oil in the light, seeming silver from one angle, but blue, pink, purple, or green from others. They had tiny, fuzzy ears and round, dark eyes, that, combined with their snuffly noses, made them almost look like characters from a children's fairytale. Cute and teddy-like, especially since most of them were about the same size as Pidge, with her platform boots on.

And they seemed to know who these strange life-forms on their planet were, judging by how eager all the shopkeepers were to speak to Allura, and the way the children -- cubs, Pidge wanted to call them, with their plushy fur and short cat-like tails -- gawked at them with round eyes. One of the cubs even came darting up to Pidge with a small, bristly flower clutched in their fist, offering it to her with a shy tilt of their head. "For the green pala'in!"

Pidge blinked, then smiled, carefully taking the flower from the cub. "Thank you." Just to make the little one's day, she reached up to tuck it into her hair, behind her ear.

The cub did indeed beam at her with delight, then scurried off to join its friends, excitedly babbling about giving a gift to one of the paladins. It made Pidge wonder if she would find that the boys had flowers in their hair, too, when they joined up again.

Looking forward again, Pidge blushed when she saw that Allura had watched the exchange, a warm, almost motherly smile on the Altean's face. "Wh-what?"

"Nothing..." Allura chuckled, then pointed at a small shop just up ahead. "Right there's the soap shop. The Goyobi people make the most amazing soaps and perfumes using the native flowers."

Idly, Pidge wondered about the biology of plants that thrived in such a cold region, trailing after Allura. They picked out a lot of mild but pleasantly smelling soaps at the shop, filling up a shopping bag that Pidge carried as she followed her Princess to the next stop. They made small talk about simple things, and Pidge actually managed to relax and have a good time, even when they found that carrying bedding for everyone between just two people was a bit difficult. They ended up rolling it all into burritos, which they then tied together using a length of twine offered by the shopkeeper, and slung over their backs, while Allura carried another bundle in her arms.

All set, they began to head back to meet up with the others, Allura still chattering away like a bird. "It was so nice to spend a bit of time with you, Pidge. I hope you had fun! Are you sure you don't want to take another look around?"

"Yeah, I had fun," Pidge agreed, adjusting her blanket-burrito bundle on her back. "We have enough to carry. Besides, I'm getting a little hot from all this walking." She had begun to sweat under her coat, despite how cold it was.

"Very well. You have a point there," Allura agreed, as she was carrying even more bedding than Pidge was. "We'll give all of this a nice wash with the laundry soap we just got. It'll smell like the Goyobi orchards in all of our sleeping quarters."

They arrived back at the Castle before the boys, taking their loot to the washroom so they could throw all of the bedding into one of the massive contraptions that was an Altean version of a washing machine and dryer put together. They then divided up the various soaps, with Allura taking the bag to place a bar in each of the crew's showers, while Pidge headed to the kitchen with the industrial-sized bottle of dish soap.

She heard voices as she neared the kitchen's doors, able to discern Lance blathering on about how famous they were among the Goyobi over the soft hissing of air-tight food storage drawers opening and closing as they put away their groceries. Rolling her eyes, she stepped up to the automatic doors, which swung open to let her in. "We get it, Lance, we're famous."

"Oh, hey, Pidge! How did your trip with Allura go?" Hunk asked, carefully stowing a heap of round magenta vegetables in a drawer. Bags of food lay all over the counters and floor, while a few more still sat in the hover-cart pushed off to the side. It was a little something Hunk and Pidge had put together using the technology of the floating food trays used in the ballroom, except much bigger and box-shaped, useful for carrying large amounts of goodies from shopping trips.

"It was pretty nice, actually," Pidge replied, weaving between the bags of food on the floor to reach the sink. She tapped a button to unlock the cabinet beneath it, stowing the bottle of dish soap there. As she shut the cabinet door again, she tugged at the collar of her shirt with her other hand, still feeling hot despite having taken off her coat once they arrived back at the Castle. "The soap we got doesn't seem to give me any allergic reactions, at least." Not a single sneeze despite sniffing all the various scents! "And we got new blankets and stuff for everyone. They're in the wash now."

"Aw, yeah. I'm gonna sleep like a baby tonight." Lance grinned, opening up one of the several refrigerators in the kitchen to put a couple jugs of... something in it. Some kind of juice or syrup?

Coran suddenly chuckled, pausing by Pidge's shoulder to reach out and pluck the flower from her hair, holding it in front of her nose as he added in a gentle, teasing tone, "I see the Goyobi gave you a warm welcome, too."

Pidge blushed again, quickly taking the flower from him. "Er, yeah. One of the cubs-- er, kids gave it to me. They seemed to like it when I wore it in my hair."

"Aww, I didn't even notice! Put it back on!" Lance complained.

"No, Lance," Pidge huffed, too embarrassed to comply. Maybe if the others didn't make such a big deal out of her doing anything girlish, she wouldn't feel so awkward trying.

"I can give you a specimen vial to store it in, so it doesn't wither," Coran offered with a wink. "Allura keeps quite a few keepsakes from the planets we visit as well."

A smile returned to the little paladin's face at that. "Thanks, Coran." She twirled the tiny, fuzzy grey stem between her thumb and forefinger, watching the dull purple petals spin. She would take a small tissue sample from it to study, and store the flower so she could remember the Goyobi people, even if she didn't get to see them again anytime soon. They were certainly very kind, and still made her think of the stuffed animals she used to keep on her bed back on Earth.

Pidge set the flower aside, then helped the boys put away the rest of the food, since they still had to actually prepare dinner. Everyone was tired after their unexpectedly eventful day, and probably just wanted to get to bed.

Dinner ended up being a single, simple dish comprised mostly of colorful Goyobi root vegetables in a dark purple sauce. It was earthy and slightly sweet, a delightful change of pace from the "health food" Coran liked to make, or the weird pudding texture of classic food goo rations. Everyone eagerly tucked into their bowls of food, even Keith, who seemed to have recovered from his bonk on the head earlier, judging by his appetite.

Pidge, however... started to feel a little queasy when she still had a bit of food left in her bowl. Just enough to not want to finish it, but not enough to get nauseous. She just couldn't seem to cool down, still feeling hot after all of their walking. She could feel a thin layer of sweat coating her skin, making her shirt stick uncomfortably to her back. Maybe she was just tired and dehydrated.

"Pidge? Everything okay?" Of course Shiro noticed, looking over at her from across the table.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," Pidge replied, giving a stretch and an exaggerated yawn. She didn't want the others to worry about her. "I'm gonna go get ready for bed, okay?"

"Sure. Keith and I will handle the cleanup, since you all ran the errands."

"Okay. Night, everyone."

"Night, Pidge!"

"Sleep well."

"Don't forget to get your new blankets from the wash!"

She got out of her chair, raising one hand in response to the light chorus of voices behind her as she headed out into the halls. A quick trip down to the washroom, and she had her new bedding bundled in her arms, headed for her room. It really did smell nice, like a mix of... apple, vanilla, daisies, and fresh mountain air. It was refreshing enough to give her a little boost of energy as she got back to her room, clearing the clutter off of her bed so she could strip it down to the mattress and change the bedding, bundling up the old stuff and tossing it into a corner to take to the wash tomorrow.

With that taken care of, she poured a glass of water from the tap in her bathroom, downing it in a few quick gulps, then treated herself to a cool shower. The water was like rain on her skin, chasing away the last traces of uncomfortable heat and spreading a soothing cold through the entirety of her tired body. Just enough to give her goosebumps.

Shutting off the water, she stepped out of the shower and toweled dry, then dressed in her pajamas and sanitized her teeth with the weird chewable tablets Alteans used instead of a toothbrush and toothpaste. It was like chewing a piece of chalk that fully dissolved in her mouth, leaving behind such a clean feeling that her teeth ached and her tongue tingled. Coran said it was made from some kind of mineral that "cleansed the mouth and soothed the gut!" Like the zingiest breath mint ever.

Finally ready for bed, Pidge emerged from the bathroom and shuffled over to her bed, flopping down into the freshly washed sheets. They were silky soft, the blanket thick and plush, filled with some kind of fluff that was like heaven to lay on. She didn't bother actually covering up with it, not wanting to get too hot again, instead snuggling down into it and appreciating how much it felt like she was laying on a cloud. She just barely remembered to take off her glasses and set them on her bedside table before she dozed off into a deep, comfortable sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is sick today and decided to continue working on fanfiction. <3

Keith rubbed at the soft spot at the crook of his neck, internally thinking that training with Shiro was a lot harder than using one of the droids. He had sheer willpower on his side, but Shiro was older, larger, stronger, and far more experienced, and didn't have difficulty settings like a robot did. He had pushed him that morning, coming out on top with their practice fight, but he ended like he always did, helping Keith off the floor and telling him he had done a great job with a sincere smile on his face, followed by giving him advice on what to do better. That was what was so great about Shiro... he was always encouraging him.

The pair were now walking towards the galley, still all sweaty after their intense workout, but showers could wait until after breakfast. The others were all definitely up and about by now, and the crew made a point of spending the morning and evening meals together. They were like some weird, dysfunctional space family.

His mouth quirked up at one end at that thought. Shiro would be the dad in this family, Allura the mom, and Coran the crazy grandpa.

A nudge on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Shiro looking at him with one eyebrow raised. "What's got you in a good mood this morning?"

Shrugging, Keith did his best to brush it off, not wanting to admit that he had been comparing the Voltron crew to the family he never really had. Sure, he had his dad growing up, but... after he passed away, he was all alone. "Nothing. Just happy about our session today."

"Me, too." Shiro affectionately ruffled his hair with his robotic hand. "It's nice to spend one-on-one time with you."

That made Keith feel just a little warm and fuzzy on the inside, but he didn't act on it, since they were coming up to the kitchen. He ducked out from under Shiro's hand, striding through the doors to be greeted by the sight of Hunk cheerfully flipping a green-tinged pancake in a pan over the stove, while Coran and Lance set the table, and Allura sipped some tea in her seat, looking as put-together as always despite the sleepy look lingering on her face.

"Morning, everyone," Shiro greeted, making his way over to the stove to watch Hunk pour another pancake, the two starting up a quiet conversation about what was in it. He was always sure to show interest in each of the paladins' skills and interests... he really was their space dad.

"Good morning, Shiro. Keith." Allura gave a sleepy smile as she peered at them through her silver eyelashes, eyes half-closed. She took another sip of her tea, which seemed to help wake her up a bit, as she then glanced around and asked, "Where's Pidge?"

Lance arranged rows of silverware on the table beside the plates Coran was putting down. "Dunno, haven't seen her yet. She's probably holed up in her room after staying up late messing around with her computer."

Hunk flipped his pancake. "I call _not_ being the one to go get her! Last time I woke her up, she threw a piece of space junk at my head."

"Well, don't look at me! She's still kinda mad at me about the Mininian pudding incident!" Lance waved a fork in Hunk's direction, then set it down next to its plate.

Everyone cringed a little at the mention of the Mininian pudding, and Shiro sighed, "Well, someone has to get her--"

"No bayards on the breakfast table!" Coran interrupted Shiro with his outburst, gaze immediately on Keith, who had just set his deactivated bayard on the corner of the table.

"Fine, fine! Sorry. I'll go put this away and get Pidge." Keith snatched his bayard back up, deciding the trip over to the sleeping quarters was worth it if he was accomplishing two things at once. He wouldn't need his bayard for the training exercises Shiro had talked about doing later, anyway.

The young red paladin trudged off to his room first, setting his bayard on top of his dresser so he would be able to find it later, then headed down the hall to Pidge's room. Hers was at the opposite end of the hall, with Lance and Hunk's doors between them, and Shiro, Coran, and Allura's settled across. A paper sign was taped to her door, the words "Keep Out" scrawled on it in colorful pencil, along with doodles of space monsters. A humorous warning to Lance and Hunk to not just barge into her personal space, considering their ideas of personal space were a bit lacking.

Keith raised one hand and knocked on the door with his knuckles, calling, "Pidge! Hey, you up? It's breakfast time."

No response.

He sighed, now banging on the door with the side of his fist to make a louder, more annoying noise. "Hey! Pidge!"

Nothing. Since when was she _that_ deep of a sleeper?

"Alright, I'm coming in!" He brushed his fingertips against the door's scanner, and it slid open. As much as everyone would have liked the privacy of a locked door, Shiro had forbidden it, so they could reach one another in case of an emergency. All seven crew members had free access to one another's quarters.

Stepping into the room, Keith had to blink a few times as his eyes adjusted from the brightness of the hallway to the darkness of Pidge's bedroom. He kept one hand on the door frame to keep the door from automatically sliding shut, the light spilling in from behind him illuminating the piles of technological junk clustered along the walls, and what seemed to be her old bedding tossed in a corner. Her computer and other favorite gadgets were on top of her dresser with a few knickknacks and keepsakes, the only things kept in relative order. Pidge herself was laying in bed, curled up on her side and facing the wall, her back to him. She didn't have any of the blankets on, just wearing the oversized nightshirt that he was pretty sure had actually been one of Shiro's shirts, stolen from his wardrobe for comfort.

She didn't respond to him entering, nor the sudden presence of light as he waved his hand over the control panel by the door to turn on the lights so he wouldn't be in complete darkness again when he stepped out of the doorway. She just laid there, breathing slowly... really slowly, actually.

"Pidge?" He cautiously approached her bedside, careful to step around the junk all over the floor. He reached out to rest a hand on her arm, intending to give her a gentle shake, but snatched it away again when her skin felt _hot_ under his touch. _Really_ hot.

Keith's heart lurched, and he quickly rolled Pidge onto her back to get a look at her face. "Pidge?! Hey, Pidge, wake up!"

Her response was just a faint groan between her slow breaths, her chest shuddering with the effort of drawing air in and out. She was absolutely coated in sweat, rivulets of it running down her face and neck, beads of moisture on her limbs, and her hair was stuck to her head as if she had just dunked it in the sink. He could see a slit of golden iris as her eyelids opened just a bit, perhaps trying to look at him, but she remained limp under his hands, her skin taking on a horrible shade of greyish-white.

"This is bad," he thought aloud, stepping back from the unresponsive green paladin, then turning tail to leap over the piles of junk between him and the door so he could dart out into the hall. He broke into a sprint once he was out in the open, the hallways just a blur of blue and white as he raced back the way he had come. He arrived at the galley so quickly that the doors barely had enough time to whoosh open for him, flying through them when they were only halfway open, the material of his shirt brushing against them as he turned to slide through the gap. He skidded across the floor, thighs slamming into the edge of the table as he dropped his hands to catch himself so he wouldn't faceplant on it, his violent entrance rattling the dishes and causing a few forks to clatter to the floor.

Everyone jumped, Shiro instinctively taking up a defensive position as if expecting him to be an enemy, but he and the others paused and stared when they saw who it was. "K-Keith, what--?"

"Pidge!" He panted, wincing as he noticed the way his legs ached from colliding with the table. "She's... sick... like, really, really... sick... she won't... wake up..."

Allura wasted no time in leaping up from her chair, rushing towards the doors with Coran at her heels. Shiro followed just behind, pausing just long enough to point back at the three younger boys and command them, "Stay here." He then hurried out after the Alteans, leaving Keith, Hunk, and Lance to stare after them.

A second of silence passed, none of the boys moving, and then Hunk slowly set down the spatula he had been gripping like a weapon after Keith's startling entrance. "We... aren't gonna stay here, right?"

"Of course not!" Lance quipped, jogging towards the doors and falling in beside Keith, who pushed off the table to head out with him. Hunk was just behind them, the three making their way towards Pidge's room at a pace somewhere between a brisk walk and a jog, allowing Keith to catch his breath after his mad sprint.

By the time they arrived at Pidge's door, Keith could hear the shower running, and Allura asking in a somewhat alarmed tone, "Shiro, what are you doing?"

"Cooling her off," came the slightly muffled reply. "She's practically cooking in her own skin."

Keith hesitated at the door for just a moment, Lance shouldering past him to go inside, but he recovered and followed after, one of Hunk's hands lightly resting on his shoulder as the big guy kept close behind him. The three boys shuffled over to peer through the bathroom door, seeing Allura nervously standing at Shiro's shoulder as he knelt by the shower, holding Pidge somewhat upright in his arms as the cold water washed over her. She looked so small, laying limply on the floor of the shower like a ragdoll, head cradled in Shiro's elbow as he pressed the fingers of his other hand to her neck, feeling her pulse.

"Wh-where's Coran?" Hunk asked, drawing attention to their arrival.

Allura looked back at them with wide eyes, while Shiro simply hunched his shoulders, focusing his attention on Pidge. Keith could imagine the dismayed look on his face, but didn't feel guilty for disobeying him this time. They were all worried.

"He's getting a bio scanner from the med bay," Allura replied, waving for them to take a few steps back. "Please, I know you're worried, paladins, but give us some room."

The trio shuffled back a few steps, making enough room for Coran to get past them just as the older Altean appeared at the door, slightly winded but a bio scanner clutched in his hand. "I have it, Princess!" He darted over to the bathroom, squeezing into the small space beside Allura so he could hold the scanner over Shiro's shoulder, getting a good look at their young friend. "Let's see... no signs of an allergic reaction, Shiro, so we can rule that out. Number Five appears to have contracted a viral illness."

"Viral? D-does that mean it's contagious?!" Hunk sputtered, taking another step back.

"It's possible," Coran mumbled, tapping at the bio scanner's screen.

Shiro finally looked up to address the three boys, his sharp gaze causing them all to duck their heads like puppies being scolded. "This is why you should have stayed in the kitchen like I told you. Now you could have been exposed, too."

"But Keith was already in here, and then he went to the kitchen with us!" Lance argued, straightening up slightly. "We've all been around him and Pidge, so we're already exposed!"

Shiro straightened up slightly, eyes darkening, and Lance quickly ducked his head again. "That doesn't--"

"Enough!" Allura interrupted. "If Coran can isolate the virus Pidge has contracted, we can synthesize immunizations for the rest of you. For the moment, we should get her to the med bay to run further tests. Shiro, can you move her?"

Their leader's anger faded away as he turned to look back at Pidge, who was still unconscious in his arms. "Yeah. I've cooled her down as much as I can for the moment. Come on, let's make it quick."

Coran leaned around him to shut off the water, then hurriedly got out of the way as Allura snatched Pidge's towel off the rung on the wall, helping to wrap her up in it while Shiro bundled her against his chest. They then all hurried from her quarters as a group, Lance running ahead to get the doors to the med bay open for them, so Shiro didn't have to waste a second getting Pidge inside. Within moments, their little paladin was laying on a hospital bed, more detailed bio scanners fired up, and a syringe already in Coran's hand so he could take a blood sample from her inner arm.

Keith had no idea what to do or even think, just standing off to the side with the other guys as even Shiro was shooed out of the way by the Alteans, who actually knew how to use all of the medical equipment in the room. Coran put the blood sample in some device that kind of reminded him of one of those single-serve coffee machines, except it was mounted on the wall and had a holographic screen in place of a water tank on the side. Meanwhile, Allura opened a container of medical supplies, skimming over the contents before pulling out a small dial of medicine and some kind of gun. Slipping the vial into the chamber, she locked it, then pressed the nozzle to the side of Pidge's neck, injecting the contents straight into her bloodstream. Whatever it was, Keith could only hope it would help.

Several long moments passed with the Alteans doing what they could to manage Pidge's symptoms and rouse her from her comatose state, but then the coffee-machine-thing beeped, and some Altean letters appeared on the screen. Coran leaped up to take a look, his eyes widening in surprise, "What?"

"What?!" The paladins repeated anxiously.

"It appears Number Five has contracted the Calitulus virus!"

"Is it bad? Please say it isn't bad and she'll be fine..." Hunk whined, gripping Keith's arm for reassurance. He glanced up at the big guy, but let him, turning his dark violet gaze back to the still-fairly-surprised Coran.

"It's an Altean virus," Allura explained from where she stood by Pidge's bedside. "It was common among Altean children when Coran was young, but my generation was immunized able to be immunized against it."

Coran squinted hard at the data on the screen. "Yes... but that's just it. It's an old _Altean_ virus. I've never heard of a non-Altean contracting the virus, and we aren't even on Altea. The only way she could have gotten it is--" His eyes suddenly widened, one hand darting up to touch the bandage on his cheek. "... From someone who carries it. Aw, quiznack." He looked back at the others with a sad look, correcting Keith on his puppy analogy from earlier; _Coran_ looked far more a sad puppy than any of them did when Shiro was scolding them. "I had the virus when I was young. It lives in the bloodstream of all who contracted it in their youth, not harming them beyond the first bout of illness, but it's contagious to anyone who was not immunized. Bodily fluids is a fairly easy way to pass it on."

Ah. So, when Pidge touched Coran's cheek and got his blood on her fingers, she was exposed to it. Keith supposed that made sense.

"Earthlings must be similar enough to Alteans for the virus to thrive in them, too," Coran mused, glancing over the four healthy paladins. "Which means Allura was right about immunizing the lot of you! Fortunately, we have some on hand, given how common the virus is... or, was. Line up, paladins!"

The boys obediently lined up side-by-side for Coran, who fetched that injection gun Allura had used earlier and loaded it up with four more little vials. He approached Shiro first, motioning for him to pull down the collar of his high-necked shirt so he could press the nozzle against the side of his neck. Shiro winced briefly, but it was over in a second, and then Coran was on to Keith.

Keith closed his eyes in anticipation as Coran swept a bit of his overgrown hair away from the side of his neck, but when the nozzle touched his skin, there was no pinch of a needle. Just a cold, tingling feeling, and a soft click and hiss like air being released. A tremor passed through him, goosebumps prickling his arms as that strange cold spread down his neck and seemed to go right into his chest, like someone stuffed a snowball into his shirt and it was melting against his skin. It was all over in a heartbeat, though, and then Coran moved on to Lance, Hunk nervously waiting for last.

Blinking open his eyes again, he looked up at Shiro, giving a small smile. "That was... weird."

"Yeah, but it should keep us from getting sick. Nobody else was having any symptoms this morning, right?" Shiro glanced over the boys, fixing the collar of his shirt. "No fever or chills?"

"No, I don't think so," Lance replied, rubbing at the cold spot on his neck, while Hunk shook his head.

Keith crossed his arms, also shaking his head. "No. I was training with you, and felt fine. Allura spent the most time with Pidge yesterday, so she would be the one to get it out of any of us."

"I suppose it's good I was immunized as a child." Allura smiled over at them from where she now sat on the edge of Pidge's bed, gently stroking the girl's damp golden hair. "Pidge will recover, but even with treatment, the virus can last a full movement."

"A _week?_ " Lance whistled. "Poor Pidge... anything we can do to help?"

Allura shook her head. "It's best you stay away at least until tomorrow, to give your bodies time to become immune to the virus."

At the crestfallen look on his face, Coran piped up, "But, you _could_ go and prepare her some nice soup! She'll need something nutritious to get her strength back once she wakes up!"

Hunk's stomach gurgled, and he rested a hand against his middle. "Yeah, we can get to that right after we finish that breakfast I was making. You guys coming?"

"I'd... like to stay with Pidge," Shiro said carefully. "I carried her here, so I already have the virus, if I'm going to get it."

"Me too," the words were out of Keith's mouth before he could stop them, and he awkwardly crossed his arms tighter over his chest at the looks everyone gave him. "I'm the one that found her, and I touched her arm when I tried to wake her up. And I've... kinda lost my appetite after all that."

Shiro gave him a small, knowing smile. "Alright. But the rest of you should go. We'll call you if there's any changes."

Allura nodded, rising to her feet and smiling at Hunk and Lance. "My mother made soup for me when I was sick as a child. Perhaps I could be of help in the kitchen."

"Sure!" Hunk agreed, while Lance lightened up significantly at the idea of spending time with the Princess. Keith couldn't help but roll his eyes. Some things never changed, no matter the situation.

"I'll stay to monitor Number Five as well," Coran decided. "It's my fault she's gotten ill, and I know all about this nasty little bug she's caught."

"Alright. But I'll bring you three some of the soup as well, once it's finished!" Allura insisted, following Lance and Hunk out of the med bay.

Keith looked around for a chair, finding some folded up in a closet at one end of the room. He took two, carrying them over to Pidge's bedside and setting them up, then motioning for Shiro to take one. Coran seemed intent on staying by all of his bio scanners, and likely wouldn't want to sit down for a while yet. Keith knew that kind of restlessness well.

Shiro drew his chair close to the bed and sat down, murmuring, "Thanks, Keith." He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair, dropping his head into his hand, and made himself comfortable to sit and wait.

Sinking into his own chair next to Shiro, Keith let silence fall.

They sat. And they waited.


End file.
